I spined a deer for the first time this year. The arrow penetrated to spinal cord but got lodged about half way through the back bone. Only a couple of inches of penetration. I shoot Muzzy 4-blade 100 gr broadheads out of a 60lb Legacy. Is this lack of penetration common on the spine shot? Thanks.

Hunt the thickets

Yes, it's very common.

MOCraig

Bones are tough, its hard, maybe impossible in some situations, for an arrow to penetrate bones.

How far did that deer go after you hit it?

Belle,
Sounds almost identical to what I've had.
Trebark

Become one with nature...then grill it.

Belle, your findings are very typical.

<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>

<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>

Yes, very common.... especially only pulling 60 pounds. And since you're shooting a 100 grain head I'd say you're probably shooting a light carbon or something to. There is some heavy bone up top. Even shooting or hitting just to the side of the spine can result in poor penetration due to all the bone mass where the ribs attach. It's definitely heavy with all the ribs getting closer and being heavier where they attach to the spine.

yes its common whether you pull 60lbs or 100lbs....ive spine shot a few deer and never went completely through the vertibra.

I guess I disagree here.

I have spine shot a Dall Sheep in 99 by accident, my arrow made it 2/3rds the way through center punching the spine.

Thats with a 64lb recurve! Also I have penetrated TWO shoulder blades on one whitetail with a 60lb longbow in 00.

Both happened with wood arrows and 2 blade heads. btw, I think my KE in both bows is running 44 and 46 ft-lbs of KE respectively!

Figure most of you are shooting in the neighborhood of 65-70 ft-lbs of Ke, you should be getting complete pass throughs eh!!! Goes to show ya KE aint everything! Its only ONE thing!

what does it matter if the arrow goes completly through compared to half way through. Either way its gonna drop it, right? (most case scenarios)

Martin,

you said it yourself, most cases! Try hitting a moose's spine. You cant get it through a whitetails, ya think ya can on a moose/elk?